Clamping device



Sept. 12, 1961 B. F. GILES CLAMPING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 9, 1957 ATTORNEYS Sept. 12, 1961 B. F. GILES 2,999,290

CLAMPING DEVICE Filed July 9, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ha MM www ATTORNEYS to T This invention relates to an improved clamping de vice and pertains particularly to a clamping device secured to a ladder for application to a metal roof.

It is well known that it is extremely hazardous to place a ladder on a peaked roof without providing some means for attaching the ladder to the roof. Oftentirnes, to decrease the propensity of the ladder to slip or slide 01f the roof, the ladder is covered on its underside with friction material. Another means incldes the use of one or more claws which are attached to one end of the ladder and fit over the apex or the uppermost portion of the roof. It has been found that the use of friction material is not adequate since it prevents the operator fnom moving the ladder longitudinally on the roof, since the friction material prevents the sliding of the ladder to a new position. On the other hand, the use of a claw is not satisfactory since as the operator moves about the ladder, the ladder has a tendency to rear upwardly, particularly when the operator is standing near or on the lowest rung.

In order to securely attach the ladder to a roof, this invention contemplates the use of a novel clamp. This clamp is attached by a chain or other flexible means to the upper portion of a ladder. The clamping device has a unique jaw arrangement which permits the clamp to be secured to protruding portions of metal roofs.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a clamping device which may be clamped to protrusions of peaked roofs.

It is another object of the invention to provide a combination of a ladder with a flexible means attached to a clamping device which may be securely mounted to protrusions on peaked roofs.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a clamping device which has a unique jaw arrangement for clamping to the protrusions on metal roofs.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a clamping device which is easily attached and removed from protrusions on peaked metal roofs.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a detailed consideration of the following description.

In order to more fully understand the invention, the following drawings are provided wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIGURE 1 illustrates a side elevation wherein a ladder is securely mounted by the clamping device of this inven tion.

FIGURE 2 is the View as seen from the right side of FIGUREI. 7

FIGURE 3 illustrates the clamping device in a clamp-' ing relationship.

FIGURE 4 is a top view of the clamping device.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 55 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view of the jaw arrangement.

FIGURE 8 is another cross-sectional view of the jaw arrangement.

Now turning to the drawings:

In FIGURE 1 reference numeral 10 refers to a ladder in position on one side of roof 11. In order to provide means to hold the ladder in place, claw arrangement 12 rates Patent C i 2,999,290 Cg Patented Sept. 12, 1961 is provided. The ladder is provided with a chain 13, one end being attached to pipe 14 which is mounted parallel to the rungs and near the upper portion of the ladder. The claw arrangement 12 is pivotally secured to pipe 14. The clamping device 15 is attached to the other end of the chain. It is seen from FIGURE 1 that the clamping device is attached to the other side of the roof 11 in clamping relationship with a protrusion on side 16.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the claw arrangement 12. It is seen that the claw arrangement 12 consists of two claws, 12A and 12B. These claws are rotatably mounted on pipe 14 which runs parallel and which is above the uppermost rung of the ladder. The ends of the claws 12A and 12B are positioned so that they lie on side 16 of the roof. The claws are restrained from rotating by the uppermost rung of the ladder. FIGURE 2 shows a ringlike means 17 which is slidably mounted on pipe 14. Chain 13 is secured to said ring-like means 17, and as was said in the above, the other end of the chain is secured to aperture lug 18 on said clamping device 15.

FIGURE 3 shows a clamping device in detail. The clamping device consists of two arms 19 and 20-. The arms are spread apart by biasing means 21. The jaw arrangement has a beveled fiat portion 22 and a pointed portion 23. The portion 22 terminates in a beveled edge so that the clamping device can be attached to a metal roof by inserting the beveled end of portion 22 beneath a roof seam as shown in FIGURE 7 of the drawing. Flat portion 22 has a small indentation 24 in its concave face and spaced from its beveled edge. It will be appreciated that the pointed jaw is positioned to fit into the indentation. The clamping device is pivoted at 25 by means of a bolt 26.

FIGURE 6 illustrates the pivoting means in greater detail. The lower portion of the clamping device 20 has a protrusion on one side thereof near the jaw arrangement. This protrusion is bifurcated to provide sides 27 and 28. The other portion of the clamping device 19 has an ear 29 which is of a suitable dimension to slip between bifurcated portions 27 and 28. Bolt means 26 is mounted through suitable holes in portions 27 and 28 and through ear 29 in order to complete the pivoting means.

FIGURE 4 illustrates a top view of the clamping device. From FIGURE 4 the view arrangement can be seen. Particularly, it will be appreciated that pointed jaw 23 fits into indentation 24 of jaw 22.

FIGURE 5 is a cross section of the clamping device which illustrates the mounting means 30 for securing the resilient means 21 to the end portion of side 20 of the clamping device.

FIGURE 7 illustrates the use of clamping device for clamping under a seam of a metal corrugated roof. It is seen that lower jaw 22 slides underneath the seam while pointed jaw 23 actually makes an indentation in the metal seam to render a secure mounting.

FIGURE 8 illustrates the clamping device on another type of metal roof It is seen therefrom that the, folded seam is vertically disposed. The clamping device is mere ly clamped to the upper portion of said seam.

The above detailed description of the clamping device of this invention has illustrated a preferred embodiment. It is naturally expected that a number of modifications may be made. In connection therewith it is pointed out that resilient means 21 may be of any spring-like mate rial. The spring may be of the type illustrated or may be an outwardly extending helical spring or of any type of spring usually employed in spreading the arms of plierlike arrangements.

The clamping device of this invention may be constructed of any suitable strong metal such as steel or iron and alloys thereof. It will be appreciated that the pivoting means may be reversed so that the bifurcated portion may be part of side 19 of the clamping device. It is also 7 pointed out that aperture lug 18 may be attached to almost any portion of the clamping device, rather than at the position illustrated. However, the position of aperture lug 18 in the preferred embodiment herein illustrated has provcn to be excellent since it is closely allied with the jaw arrangement, thus giving a good hold. The preferred embodiment of the position of the apertured lug is set forth in FIGURES 3 and 6. There, the apertured lug 18 is positioned between arm 20 and pointed jaw member 23 so that the two legs 27, 28 of the aperture lug are joined, one on each side of arm 20, at the point of pivotal connection 25 to arm 19.

The clamping device of this invention can be used on any one of the three metal roofs usually found. In other Words, it may be used as in FIGURE 3 where the seam is peaked at a 45 angle; or as in FIGURE 7 where the metal roof is a corrugated roof; or as in FIGURE 8 where the seam is folded and vertically disposed to the roof.

Of particular significance is the fact that jaw 22 is beveled along one end portion. It has been found that the bevelling permits the jaw 22 to be inserted below or underneath the seam portions of the roof.

In order to use the device of the instant invention, the ladder is placed on a peaked roof in the usual manner. The claw arrangement is employed in order to facilitate a preliminary securing of the ladder to the roof. Following this, the user of the ladder climbs the ladder to a point at which the clamping device can be reached and secured to the other side of the roof in a manner as heretofore described. It will be appreciated that by virtue of the fact that the clamping device is flexibly attached through slidable means, the clamping device may be moved with a great deal of freedom.

It will be apparent that many changes and modifications of the several features of the clamping device described herein may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing description is by way of illustration of the invention rather than limitation upon the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A heavy duty clamping device for securing a ladder on a metal roof comprising two elongated arms, means pivotally interconnecting said arms adjacent one end thereof to define a pair of long portions which actas handles and first and second short arcuate portions which continuously curve inwardly toward each other and act as beak-like interlocking jaw members to grip the marginal edges of closely overlapping sections of the metal roof, the first of said jaw members being wide and terminating in a fiat beveled edge for slipping underneath the marginal edges of closely overlapping portions of the metal roof, said first jaw member having a concave face and a circular indentation defined therein spaced from said fiat beveled edge and centrally spaced. within the width of said first jaw member, said second jaw member being wide and tapering to a single point, said point of said second jaw member being received in the indentation defined in said first jaw member when said jaw members engage, said first jaw member extending beyond the point of engage '4 ment with said second jaw member as a flat beveled edge for raising a marginal edge of closely overlapping portions of the metal roof, and resilient means to bias said pair of long portions apart to force said short portions into said beak-like arrangement.

2. A ladder attaching device for supporting a workman on a slant metal roof comprising a heavy duty clamping device for securing said ladder on the metal roof, said clamping device having first and second elongated arms, means pivotally interconnecting said arms adjacent one end thereof to define a pair of long portions which act as handles and first and second short arcuate portions which continuously curve inwardly toward each other and act as beak-like interlocking jaw members to grip the marginal edges of closely overlapping sections of the metall roof, the first of said jaw members being wide and terminating in a flat beveled edge for slipping underneath the marginal edges of closely overlapping portions of the metal roof, said first jaw member having a concave face and a circular indentation defined therein spaced from said flat beveled edge and centrally spaced within the width of said first jaw member, said second jaw member being wide and tapering to a single point, said point of said second jaw member being received in the indentation defined in said first jaw member when said jaw members engage, said first jaw member extending beyond the point of engagement with said second jaw member as a flat beveled edge for raising a marginal edge of closely overlapping portions of the metal roof, and resilient means to bias said pair of long portions apart to force said short portions into said beak-like arrangement, and a fixed apertured lug, positioned on said second elongated arm between the long handle portion and the short arcuate portion thereof so that the two legs of said apertured lug are joined one on each side of said second elongated arm at the point of pivotal connection to said first elongated arm, andmeans secured to said apertured lug and adapted to attach said clamping device and said ladder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 69,398 Britton Oct. 1, 1867 78,523 Hathaway June 2, 1868 154,659 Fox Sept. 1, 1874 202,735 Lindsay Apr. 23, 1878 232,324 Ashlock Sept. 21, 1880 709,937 Sturges Sept. 30, 1902 1,306,073 Mertens June 10, 1919 1,335,331 Gunderson Mar. 30, 1920 1,445,798 Phillips Feb. 20, 1923 2,302,997 Lucas Nov. 24, 1942 2,454,857 Bish Nov. 30, 1948 2,502,890 Ruschmann Apr. 4, 1950 2,608,162 Woodruif Aug. 26, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 20,914 Denmark I an. 7, 1916 233,436 Great Britain May 11, 1925 549,985 France Dec. 2, 1922 651,703 France Oct. 15, 1928 

